-Smackdown opens with a video package focusing on Christian’s journey to becoming WWE World Champion. It started with photos of Christian and Edge growing up and ended with Christian defeating Alberto Del Rio at Extreme Rules last Sunday.

-In the arena Josh Mathews welcomes everyone to Friday Night Smackdown as Christian walks down to the ring with the World Title draped over his shoulder. Cole tries to explain that the only reason he is World Champion is because of Edge’s interference and not because of anything Christian did. Christian does what he said he was waiting 17 years to do...he raises the title high above his head in the middle of the ring for the first time as the crowd chants his name. Christian goes on to cut a standard dream-come-true promo (lifelong dream, when I was a child…feels great to finally…) and he goes on to thank those who helped him along the way, including Edge.

Christian says that he got a text from Edge before coming out and he gets choked up as he tells everyone that the text said that he should enjoy this time, because he earned it. Christian says that he loves Edge and without Edge there is no Christian. He also thanks the WWE Universe, or as he calls them – Peeps. The champion goes on to suck up to the fans by saying that isn’t his title, but it is everyone’s title. As he says that, Mark Henry interrupts and Michael Cole says “thank God!”

-Henry congratulates Christian but goes on to say that he wants his hands on the World Championship. Christian retorts that the title is made out of gold and not chocolate. Mark Henry reminds Christian that he is all alone, and Edge isn’t here to help him anymore.

-Here comes Great Khali and the dancing idiot that follows him around. Khali speaks some Indian and Ranjin Singh translates that Great Khali suggest that his first title defense should be against a former champion. As Christian runs down his options, Randy Orton’s music hits and the place goes crazy.

-It is taking Orton forever to grow that beard in. It looks like peach fuzz, white trash stubble! Anyway, Orton says that he isn’t a freak, but he is Randy Orton. Scott Steiner must be crushed that Orton isn’t one of his freaks… But Orton goes on to say that he is now on Smackdown and he would like to be considered for a shot at the World Title. Like I said, what a polite Viper!

-Teddy Long comes out to join the convention that is going on in the ring. He declares that the number one contender for the World Championship situation will be decided by the fine people of Orlando, Florida. He goes over each choice and the crowd explodes for Randy Orton vs. Christian and Teddy Long makes the match for tonight! Randy Orton modestly shakes Christians hand and walks backstage.

-Still to come: Highlights from The Rock’s birthday party from last Monday!

(Commercial)

-Josh Mathews pimps photos from Extreme Rules at wwe.com

-Backstage Singh tells Khali that he was so close to that title shot. They then run into Jinder Mahal – that guy I didn’t know last week – and he says that things will get better now that he is on Smackdown and that Khali is his brother. Khali walked off as Mahal made a comment about the tutu he was wearing on Raw last Monday. Ranjin Singh tried to play it off as a joke, but Mahal said that he meant no offense. He then patted Singh on the back and walked off saying it would be fine.

1 -- SHEAMUS vs. DANIEL BRYAN

As Sheamus was coming to the ring they showed stills of last Sundays match between Kofi and Sheamus where Sheamus lost the U.S. Title. As Daniel Bryan was coming to the ring, Josh Mathews said that Bryan is the Ryan Reynolds of the WWE. I don’t even know where to start with that one. Cole tries to make a Green Lantern joke, to no avail. Sheamus starts the match with a side headlock on Bryan and takes him down. Sheamus whips Bryan into the corner and follows up by clubbing him in the corner. The Celtic Warrior then whips Daniel into the ropes and hits him with a back elbow to send “Ryan Reynolds” down. Okay, I respect Daniel Bryan too much to call him Ryan Reynolds. Joke over. More pounding of Bryan in the corner by Sheamus, but Daniel ducks one of the blows and gives Sheamus some knife edged chops of his own (I thought these were banned) but Sheamus takes control again. Bryan gets whipped into the far turnbuckle and does a backflip off the top rope and dropkicks Sheamus outside the ring. Daniel Bryan follows up with a dive through the ropes to the outside on Sheamus and both men brawl outside the ring for a few seconds before Sheamus rolls into the ring. Sheamus stops Daniel from getting into the ring and introduces his face into the turnbuckle and then drags Bryan into the ring and gives him an Irish Curse backbreaker as Smackdown takes a break.

(Commercial)

Back on Smackdown, Sheamus has Daniel Bryan locked in an armbar that Bryan fights out of. As soon as he fights out of it, he runs into another backbreaker by the Celtic Warrior. Sheamus then ties Daniel up in the ropes and clubs him over the chest then goes in the apron and nails him in the face with a running knee! Flying shoulder tackle by Sheamus gets a two count. Sheamus props Daniel Bryan up in the corner and attempts a superplex but Bryan knocks him off the turnbuckle and comes off with a huge dropkick of his own. Bryan chops Sheamus down with a series of kicks that only manage to get a two count on Sheamus. Booker thinks that Bryan has a little kung fu in him.

Sheamus pushes Daniel into the corner and then charges in but eats boot and when Daniel tries following up with some offense Sheamus gives him a double axe handle and tries “Pale Justice”(that can’t be the name of that move) but Bryan reverses out and drop kicks Sheamus out to the apron. Sheamus tries his slingshot shoulder tackle, but Daniel counters that into the LeBell Lock but Sheamus manages to make the ropes! Sheamus rolls to the outside and when Daniel tries to dive out onto him again Sheamus connects with the Brogue Kick in mid-air, then rolls back into the ring and gives Daniel a proper Brogue Kick to get the victory.

WINNER: Sheamus in about 10:00 by pinfall.

Still to come: Christian defends the World Title for the first time against Randy Orton!

(Commercial)

-Cody Rhodes comes to the ring with his goon squad armed with paper bags (when he comes to Cleveland, we have our own bags left over from the previous Browns season). Still shots are shown of Rey Mysterio using shenanigans to beat Cody Rhodes last Sunday at Extreme Rules. Cody is sounding like the Zodiac Killer here saying that adding insult to injury is what Rey did at Extreme Rules to Cody by using some kind of mist to beat Cody. He also says that he exposed Rey before Rey could expose himself (eww…) because he showed how desperate and gutless he was and that he was a coward! He says that he is thankful because now that Rey is on Raw he no longer has to deal with Rey Mysterio! Cody goes on to say that his eyes still burn and it is tough to see clearly, but he can see well enough to see that the people of Orlando are still ugly! So Cody has his thugs hand out paper bags to the people at ringside. He nicely asks everyone to hide their hideousness because their ugliness offends him!

-Stills from last Sundays match between Big Show and Kane vs. The Corre were shown and the strain in the group was highlighted.

-Big Show came to the ring alone while Ezekiel Jackson came to the ring with The Corre so Kane joins The Big Show to even the odds. Big Show vs. Ezekiel Jackson is next!

(Commercial)

2 -- WWE tag champion BIG SHOW vs. EZEKIEL JACKSON

The match is joined already in progress as Zeke shoves Big Show into the corner. Both men lock up and Jackson shoves Big Show off again in a show of power. Another tie up and Big Show reverses and goes for a waistlock takedown then uses some amateur moves to keep him down. Jackson powers back up and backdrops Big Show down, which doesn’t happen very often then Ezekiel bodyslams Big Show. Jackson’s power is being featured here tonight.

Chinlock by Jackson gets countered into a side suplex by Big Show as The Corre pounds on the apron to encourage Jackson. Both men slug it out on their knees and work to their feet and Big Show clotheslines Jackson back down! Show whips Ezekiel into the corner and catches himj with a shoulder block to knock him back down. Big Show calls for the Chokeslam and Heath Slater climbs the apron to distract him. Kane pulls Slater off the apron and a brawl breaks out between The Corre and Kane, Big Show helps him clean house, then rolls back into the ring where Ezekiel Jackson hits him with a Clothesline From Hell to get the pinfall victory! Kind of a weak finisher there…

WINNER: Ezekiel Jackson by pinfall in 3:00.

-The Corre join him in the ring to congratulate him and Jackson gives them the cold shoulder and walks off by himself.

-Still to come: The Rock’s birthday party from last Monday!

(Commercial)

-Highlights from The Rock’s birthday party are shown.

-Still to come: Christian vs. Randy Orton

(Commercial)

-WWE Rewind shows the finish of Layla vs. Michelle McCool from last Sunday.

3 -- LAYLA vs. ALICIA FOX

Is Layla’s face gimmick that she always looks like she is ready to cry? Tie-up to start that goes nowhere. Second tie up and Alicia gets the advantage and chokes Layla in the corner with her boot. Layla fights out and gets her neckbreaker out of nowhere for the win.

WINNER: Layla in less than a minute by pinfall.

-As she celebrates Kharma’s music hits and she slowly walks to ringside. Layla makes a smart exit and Alicia Fox tries attacking Kharma from behind and that only amuses Kharma who proceeds to destroy Ms. Fox! Kharma thinks it’s hilarious as she loffs and loffs and loffs while the crowd chants “one more time!”

-The Corre is backstage looking pretty upset and they confront Jackson about his problem with them. Ezekiel blows them off by saying he has no problem and he goes back to undressing. Wade tells him to get up and look at him and The Corre beat Jackson down in the dressing room and it took all members of The Corre to take him down and keep him down. Wade threw a chair at Zeke’s head that looked like a nasty shot. Some kind of metal container was pushed over onto Ezekiel Jackson as The Corre walked off.

(Commercial)

Did you know: a bajillion people watch WWE videos online everyday?

-Moments ago The Corre laid the smackdown on Ezekiel Jackson. See what I did there with the word "smackdown?" Booker says that what happened here is what happens on the street, you fight into a gang and you have to fight out of a gang!

-Chavo Guerrero joined the commentators at ringside for the next match.

4 -- SIN CARA vs. TYSON KIDD

Guerrero doesn’t know how long Sin Cara has been in WWE; he thinks it has been three months or so. We get Sin Cara mood lighting for the match. Hammerlock by Kidd to start to gets reversed into an armdrag. Sin Cara off the ropes with a handspring elbow and a leg scissor takedown that sends Kidd to the outside. Huracanrana off the stairs on Kidd and Sin Cara tries rolling Tyson back into the ring but Kidd baseball slides Sin Cara to the floor and suplexes him onto the mats. Tyson Kidd takes control as the crowd gets behind Sin Cara while he is being choked on the bottom rope. Kidd tries a leg drop on the apron and Sin Cara rolls out of the way. Sin Cara gets some offense going with a back elbow and a springboard cross body while Chavo claims that Sin Cara is stealing his moves and that he innovated everything he is doing. Sin Cara then props Tyson on the top rope and does the C-4 from the top to get the win.

WINNER: Sin Cara in 3:00 by pinfall.

-Chavo gets in the ring and shakes Sin Cara’s hand then both men back off staring at each other either intently or lovingly. It is hard to tell through the mask.

-Highlights from WWE’s Be A Star campaign are shown.

-Todd Grisham was backstage with Theodore Long in his office. Teddy’s office, not Todd’s. Todd asks if tonight's impromptu World Title match is fair to both competitors and Teddy asks how is it not fair because both men wrestled tough matches last Sunday. He says that his job description says nothing about being fair, but it is about being unpredictable and giving the fans what they want.

(Commercial)

-A shot of Disney World is shown and Josh Mathews said that last Sunday Christian realized his dream.

I think the only thing missing from Orton’s new white trash look is a tattoo of a naked lady on his forearm. Booker says that he and Christian have the same past because they started at the tag team scene then worked their way to World Title’s. Long introduction from Tony Chimel then the match gets underway. Both men struggle in a collar-and-elbow tie-up, Randy Orton with a side headlock that Christian counters out of by whipping Orton into the ropes and Christian shoulder tackles Orton down. Randy Orton reverses an Irish whip and backdrops Christian then pounds on him. Orton tries his hanging DDT, but Christian reverses by back body dropping Orton out of the ring. Christian with a jumping baseball slide to Orton’s kisser then Orton sidesteps the champion as he tries a slingshot dive as Smackdown takes a break.

(Commercial)

Orton is working over Christians arm as Smackdown comes back. Randy then stomps his mid-section multiple times and tries a pin but only gets a two. Orton then whips Christian into the far corner, then again into the other corner, and again into a third corner. Orton tries pinning the champ but once again comes up short. Waistlock by Orton on Christian and Christian powers out then elbows Orton, but Orton Cactus Clotheslines Christian to the outside as Smackdown takes yet another break!

(Commercial)

Christian has Orton’s patented chinlock locked on The Viper in a bit of irony, but Orton knows how to counter that and he headbutts Christian. Orton shoves Christian into the corner and side suplexes him as he bounces back. Both men then slug it out and Orton wins that one with a dropkick and then a clothesline. Orton whips Christian into the corner, but Christian slides through the ropes and Pele kicks Orton in the skull. Christian, the World Champion, then goes to the top rope and jumps off connecting with a back elbow to Orton and tries a pin but only gets two.

Christian tries an inverted DDT but Orton fights out of it and tosses Christian to the apron and Christian punches Orton out. Christian goes up top and comes down with a cross body block that only gets a two count. Christian then goes to the other corner and hits another back elbow on Orton and calls for the Killswitch but Orton counters with a powerslam. Orton wastes time and that gives Christian a chance to try the Killswitch again that Orton reverses out of, Christian drop toe holds Orton onto the middle rope where he tries leaping over the ropes and punching Orton, but Randy moves out of the way and drags Christian onto the apron where he DDT’s him into the ring and tries a pin but comes up short.

Orton goes for a RKO and Christian works his way out of it and gets that inverted DDT on Orton for a two count. Christian pulls Orton to his feet and Orton surprises him with an Angle Slam. Orton is now pounding the mat calling for the RKO and Christian counters into a Killswitch that gets reversed. Orton shoves Christian into the corner and he jumps to the second rope and tries coming off with a high-flying maneuver, but Randy Orton catches him with a RKO on the way down and he covers him for the win and the title!

WINNER: Randy Orton wins the match and World Title in 18:00 via pinfall.

-Christian is shown getting up slowly and he walks to the back showing his frustration in losing the World Title in his first outing as champion.

He hosted the weekly Pro Wrestling Focus radio show on KFAN in the early 1990s and hosted the Ultimate Insiders DVD series distributed in retail stories internationally in the mid-2000s including interviews filmed in Los Angeles with Vince Russo & Ed Ferrara and Matt & Jeff Hardy. He currently hosts the most listened to pro wrestling audio show in the world, (the PWTorch Livecast, top ranked in iTunes)

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